1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an electrical connector, and particularly to an electrical connector having compressive conductive contacts.
2. Description of the Related Art
Electrical connectors are often used to removably electrically interconnect electronic devices. U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,295,839 and 5,388,997 respectively disclose an electrical connector having a compressive conductive member and a rigid conductive member to cooperatively and electrically interconnect a pair of printed circuit boards.
However, the rigid and the compressive conductive members of the electrical connector of U.S. Pat. No. 5,295,839 are separate from each other and are respectively retained by different insulative members, which increases the number of components of the electrical connector and complicates assembling procedures. In addition, the rigid and the compressive conductive members and the insulative members may fall out of engagement between one another, thereby deteriorating the reliability of the signal transmission between the printed circuit boards.
On the other hand, the compressive conductive member of the electrical connector of U.S. Pat. No. 5,388,997 is directly retained to a printed circuit board and has no reliable fixation with an insulative member that supports the electrical connector and the rigid conductive member, such that it is apt to fall out of engagement with the insulative member and the rigid conductive member, thereby interrupting the signal transmission between the printed circuit boards. Thus, the reliability of the signal transmission between the printed circuit boards is not ensured.
Therefore, an improved electrical connector is required to overcome the disadvantages of the prior art.
A first object of the present invention is to provide an electrical connector having compressive conductive contacts reliably fixed to an insulative housing thereof to ensure a reliable signal transmission thereby; and
A second object of the present invention is to provide a compact electrical connector having compressive conductive contacts.
An electrical connector in accordance with the present invention comprises an insulative housing and a plurality of compressive conductive contacts. The insulative housing defines a top surface, a bottom surface opposite to the top surface, and a plurality of passageways extending through the top and the bottom surfaces.
Each compressive conductive contact comprises a rigid contacting portion, a rigid mounting portion and a compressive transitional portion mechanically and electrically connecting the rigid contacting and mounting portions. The compressive conductive contacts are received in the passageways of the insulative housing, respectively. The rigid contacting portions of the compressive conductive contacts partially and movably protrude outwardly beyond the top surface of the insulative housing to electrically connect with an electronic device. The rigid mounting portions are retained to the insulative housing and partially protrude outwardly beyond the bottom surface of the insulative housing to electrically and mechanically connected to another electronic device, e.g., a printed circuit board, thereby establishing an electrical connection between the two electronic devices. The rigid contacting portions are movable along the passageways with respect to the insulative housing due to the flexibility of the compressive transitional portions.
Other objects, advantages and novel features of the invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description of the present embodiment when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.